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Summer festivals and other events | Naxos Island

Summer festivals & events

 

naxos festivalsIn Naxos you will never be bored, as there are so many things to do, whatever your interests may be. In the morning, if you don’t feel like going for a swim or on an excursion, you can visit the museum in Hora, and combine this with a stroll around the al­leyways of the castle area.

The museum is open from 08.30 am till 3.00 pm, everyday, except Mondays. The museum in Metropolis square (the archaeological area of Grota) is open during the same hours. In the evening there is also the choice of Naxos’ open-air theater. This unique type of cinema is exclusively a Greek product, and one of the most loved forms of Greek entertainment. Who can resist the beauty of a warm summer night, drenched in moonlight, the hits of the international movie world unfolding on the screen in front of you? Starting at the end of September till the beginning of May the winter movie theater goes into operation, housed at the movie theater/amphitheater «Iakovos Kambanellis», at the Town Hall.

During the summer the Cultural Organization of the Municipality of Naxos organizes many diverse events, the «Dionysia», offering visitors the chance to get to know the different sides of life on the island. These events include concerts, painting, photography and sculpture exhibitions, theater performances and many more. The «Dionysia» culminate with a wine-feast. The Municipality of Drymalia organises a series of events held in the mountain villages of Naxos.

The religious festivals are important events for the community; a form of celebration has been handed down from generation to generation.

 

dance

Festivals

These religious festivities are the continuations of ancient customs which have thus survived to the present day. Once a year every village or settlement celebrates its own patron saint’s day. After the church service, the music begins and the celebrations involve feasting and dancing until the early hours of the next day. In earlier times the festivals took place in the open air, something which contributed to their special charm. Nowadays the festivals often take place in the taverns which are situ­ated around the village square. Should you find yourselves at a festival, you will almost certainly be swept along in the merriment and find yourselves dancing. Don’t miss this rare opportunity!

The most important festivals during the summer months are:

20th May: Festival of Ag­ios Thalaleos, in Agios Thalaleos
30th June: Festival of Agii Apostoli, in Melanes
7th July: Festival of Agia Kyriaki, in Potamia
8th July: Festival of Ag­ios Prokopios in Agios Prokopis
14th July: Festival of Ag­ios Nikodimos in Hora and Glinado
17th July: Festival of Agia Marina in Agidia and Koronos
25th July: Festival of Agia Anna in Agia Anna
27th July: Festival of Agios Panteleimon in Ag­ersani
6th August: Festival of Christ the Saviour in Glinado, Damarionas and Kourounochori
15th August: Festival of Panagia (Holy Virgin) all over the island and particulary in Filoti
23th August: Festival of the Holy Virgin’s no­vena in Tripodes
29th August: Festival of Agios Ioannis in Apiranthos, Apollonas and Agersani
8th September: Festival of Theoskepasti in Komiaki and Potamia